Seal



W. K. EDGAR.

SEAL.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2. I920. ,401 ,326. PatentedDec. 27, 1921.

J 4 3 Z fi I Jig] wuewtoa izizz'ayan Cum/"u i ii PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM KERR EDGAR,

OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO EDGAR STEEL SEAL &

MFG. (30., OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

SEAL.

To all whom it may concern:

1 Be it known that I, WILLIAM KERR EDGAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence in the county of Douglas and State of kansas, have invented a new and useful Seal, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a sealing device especially designed for use in sealing freight cars, mail sacks, bales of cotton, hides, etc., milkcans, bread boxes, laundry baskets, cartons, and various other containers and receptacles likely to be tampered with while in transit between two points.

The invention is designed more particularly as an improvement upon the structures disclosed in Patent No. 985,019 issued to me on February 21, 1911, 1,064,462 and 1,064,463

. issued to me on June 10, 1913, and 1,344,491

issued to me on June 22, 1920.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive seal which can be applied quickly, and which has means 1? whereby the ends of the seal are doubly instrument and which cannot be dislodge by rough handling, bumping or jolting.

Another object is to provide a seal which cannot be removed without breaking off the locking ends thereof, thereby insuring ready detection of any tampering with the seal.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings- Figure 1 is an inner elevation of one of the seals showing the same as it appears prior to application.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the other side of the seal.

Fi 3 is an edge view showing the seal close in sealing position.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

Application filed November 2, 1920. Serial No. 421,298.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the seal with the parts arranged as in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an edge view showing a modified arrangement of the seal.

Fig. 6 is an elevation thereof.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates. a flat strip of metal provided near one end with a longitudinal slot 2 the length of which is slightly greater than the width of the strip and the width of which is slightly greater than twice the thickness of the strip. Extending transversely of the strip in the inner or back face thereof and at a point adjacent the slot 2 is a shallow groove or score 3 preferably spaced from the slot 2 a distanceequal to the distance between said slot and the adjacent end of the strip.

At a point removed from the groove 3 there is formed in the strip 1 a T-shaped slot 4 for the purpose of weakening the strip at this point and another similar slot 5 is provided in the strip near the other end thereof and at a distance from said end equal to the distance between the groove and the slot 4. Openings 6. are provided in the strip 1 for further weakening the strip 1, these openings being equally spaced'from the re spective slots 4 and 5.

The outer side of the strip 1 is provided with a suitable identifying number or the like asshown in Fig. 2, it being understood that all of the seals sold have different identifying numbers or characters so that if one is removed another cannot be substituted without detection.

In using the seal the end portion indicated at 7 is broken off by bending the strip along the groove or score 3, the material of which the strip is made being of a brittle nature which will allow the strip to be bent in one direction but will break in two if the strip is rebent on the same line. After the user has broken off the portion 7 he inserts the seal through the parts to be sealed togather and then inserts the two ends through the slot 2 until the apertures 6 are brought to position within the slot. The two ends of the sealing strip are then bent back in opposite directions respectively at the weakened portions where the slots 4 and 5 are located, thus bringing the ends of the tongues 8 thus produced against one face of the portion 7 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

With the parts thus assembled it is impossible to open the seal without rebending the strip at some point and, as before stated, such rebending will result in the sealing strip breaking in two, thus making it an eas matter to detect tampering.

W hile the ends can be folded back on the outer faces of the sealing strip, as shown in Figs. 3 and at, it is also possible to fasten the seal by bending the end inwardly as shown in Figs. 5' and 6 wherein the tongues 9, corresponding with the tongues 8. come together and. do not contact with the portion 7 which corresponds with the piece 7. Furthermore while the slots 4 and 5 can be T-shaped as shown and described, it is also possible to make them U-shaped as shown at 10 in Fig. 6 and the same form of slot or opening can be substituted for the openings (5, as shown at 11. Obviously by providing a seal such as described it becomes impossible to remove the seal without breaking off some part thereof, thereby indicating clearly that the seal has been tampered with.

What is claimed is 1. A seal including a strip having a longitudinally slotted removable end portion, said slot being of a length greater than the width of the seal and of a width greater than twice the thickness of the seal, said seal, when separated from the end portion, being insertible' at its ends through the. slot,

there being weakened portions in the seal,

the end portions of the seal being bendable backwardly at the weakened portions to prevent displacement of the slotted portion from the seal.

2. A seal comprising a flat elongated strip of material adapted to break when bent and rebent at any point thereon, said seal having an end portion divided from the reniaining portion of the seal by a transverse weakened portion, there being a slot within the end portion adapted to receive the end portions of the seal when separated from said slotted portion, said end portions being bendable backwardly to hold the slotted portion against removal.

3. A seal comprising an elongated fiat strip of material adapted to break when bent and rebent at any one point, said strip having an end portion separated from the remaining portion of the strip by a transversely weakened portion, the said end portion having a slot therein and being separable from the remaining portion of the strip along said weakened portion. said strip being foldable and its ends being insertible through the slot, said ends being bendable backwardly toward the slotted portion and being weakened at the points of bending.

f. As an article of manufacture a seal of the class described consisting of an elongated llat strip of material adapted to break when bent and rebent at any selected point, said strip having a transverse weakened portion adjacent one end dividing the strip into an end portion having a slot the length of which is greater than the width of the strip and the. width of which is greater than twice the thickness of the strip, there being weakened portions in the remaining portion of the strip adjacent each end thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM KERR EDGAR.

Witnesses C. C. EDGAR, Rosa RoBINsoN. 

